Firearm barrel, shroud, frame, and cylinder construction



Feb. 14, 1967 K. R. LEWIS 3,303,594

FIREARM BARREL, SHROUD, FRAME, AND CYLINDER CONSTRUCTION Original FiledNov. 25. 1960 E E 2 '40 /0 /4 /oz 4 I8 @o 5 /0 f 4/ gg [0C 74d 1/ A m fINVENTOR KARL. F2- l-EWiS BY @AM/m7 q* ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,303,594 FIREARM BARREL, SHROUD, FRAME, AND CYLINDER CONSTRUCTIN KarlR. Lewis, 54 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield, Conn. 06109 ApplicationNov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,470which is a division of application Ser.No. 71,339, Nov. 23, 1960, now Patent No. 3,163,951, dated Jan. 5, 1965.Divided and this application Dec. 14, 1965, Ser. No.

13 Claims. (Cl. 42-59) This application is a division of rny co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 411,470, tiled November 16, 1964, no'wabandoned, for Firearm Barrel, Frame and Cylinder Construction. Thislatter application is in turn a division of my previous application,Serial No, 71,339, filed November 23, 1960, for Firearm FiringMechanism, now Patent Number 3,163,951.

The general object of this invention is to provide improvements in thebarrel, frame and cylinder construction of revolver-type firearmsresulting in easier assembly and disassembly of parts, ruggedness,attractive appearance and other advantages.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide a firearmhaving a shroud surrounding the barrel, which shroud may be made fromrelatively inexpensive die cast material and which, among other things,may be used to improve the appearance of the firearm, `to improve theassembly of the barrel to the main frame, to provide a simple andinexpensive front sight, to provide a convenient housing for the frontend of an extractor stern and for a releasable holding means for suchextractor stem, and/or to provide a convenient means for receiving oneor more weights for adjusting the weight or balance of the firearm.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and from the drawing forming a part hereof.

The drawing shows preferred embodiments of the invention and suchembodiments will be described, but it will be understood that variouschanges may be made from the constructions disclosed, and that thedrawing and description are not to be construed as defining or limitingthe scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of thisspecification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the dra'wing:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a firearm embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the firearm shown in FIG. 1 with the upperportion thereof being shown in vertical longit-udinal .section and withthe lower portion being shown in elevation with the grip pieces removedfrom the frame;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of the front portionof a firearm comprising a modified form of the invention and whichfirearm includes provision for adding weights;

FIG. 4 is a front end view of the firearm shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing and first particularly considering FIGS. 1and 2, there is shown a firearm embodying the invention and of therevolver pistol type. The firearm comprises a frame which is providedwith a mechanism cavity 12, a cylinder recess 14 and a crane recess 16in the upper portion thereof. Between the mechanism cavity 12 and thecylinder recess 14 is a transverse or intermediate wall 18, and alongitudinal bore 20 extends between the crane recess 16 and themechanismcavity 1.2. The mechanism cavity 12 has one side wall 22 whichis integral with the other portions of the frame. The outer surface ofthis wall is shown facing the viewer in FIG. l. The other side wall ofthe mechanism cavity is provided by a removable side plate, not shown,which is attached to the side of the frame facing the viewer in FIG. 2by means -of screws or other fasteners. Removal of the side plateprovides access to all of the parts of the tiring mechanism shown inFIG. 2.

The lower por-tion of the frame includes a trigger guard 24 ofconventional configuration and a depending grip portion 26 locatedrearwardly of the trigger guard. As shown in FIG. 1, the grip portion ofthe frame comprises two generally downwardly extending arms 28, 28 thatare spaced apart longitudinally of the frame. The arms 28, 2-8 haveattached thereto, two side pieces, one of which is shown at 30 in FIG.1, which are located one on either side of the frame and which arepreferably made of wood or plastic, These side pieces, together with thegrip portion of the frame, constitute the grip of the firearm, the gripbeing hollow to provide a storage chamber for holding extra cartridgesor other articles. Access to the storage chamber is provided by apivotal floor plate 32, as shown in FIG. 2, which is pivotally connectedadjacent its rear end to the grip portion 26 and which at its forwardend is provided with a releasable latch 34. The latch 34 normally holdsthe floor plate in closed position with respect to the storage chamberand is manually operable by a thumb or finger to release the floor platefor swinging movement away from the grip portion.

A crane 36 is attached to the frame 10 for outward swinging movementabout an axis extending longitudinally of the frame. This mounting ofthe crane to the frame is obtained by providing the crane with a pivotalportion 38 which is loosely received by the longitudinal frame bore 20.As viewed in FIG. 1, the crane 36 is swingable outwardly about the axisof the longitudinal bore 20 in a direction toward the viewer from theposition shown. Swinging movement of the crane in a direction away fromthe viewer in FIG. l is limited by engagement of the crane with the sidewall of the crane recess. This side wall is not shown in FIG. 1, but islocated immediately behind the crane and is integral with the frame.

A cylinder 40 of somewhat conventional construction is rotatably securedto the crane for rotation about an axis extending longitudinally of thefirearm. Normally, the cylinder 40 is positioned within the cylinderrecess 14 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but it is swingable outwardlytherefrom with the crane 36 in order to displace the cylinder to an openposition located to one side of the frame for loading and ejectingpurposes. The cylinder 40 includes a plurality of cartridge receivingcharnbers 42, 42 which are shown empty in FIG. 2. When the cylinder isin its normal position, the intermediate wall 18 of the frame and theflanges 44, 44, one of which is formed on either side of the framebehind the cylinder, at least partially close the rear ends of thecartridge chambers 42, `42 to prevent the addition or removal ofcartridges to or from the chambers; however, `when the cylinder is swungoutwardly from the frame, the rear ends of the cylinder cartridgechambers are positioned away from the wall 18 and the adjacent flange 44so that cartridges may be removed or added.

The cylinder 40 is rotatably secured to the crane 36 for rotation aboutan axis extending longitudinally of the frame. As shown in FIG. 2, thecylinder mounting means includes a sleeve 46 which is fixed to the crane36 and extends rearwardly therefrom through the center of the cylinder40. The outer surface of the sleeve 46 fits loosely with the center boreof the cylinder 40 t0 permit the cylinder to rotate about the sleeve. Anejector rod 48 is received within the sleeve 46 and is longitudinallyslidable relative thereto, the sleeve 46 at its forward end having areduced diameter section which engages and slidably supports the ejectorrod. At its rear end, the ejector rod 48 is provided with a conventionalcartridge extractor 50 which is movable rearwardly to eject thecartridges from the cylinder when the cylinder is disposed in its openposition to the side of the frame. In ejecting the cartridges, theejector engages the rims of the cartridges in the cartridge chamber andmoves them rearwardly and out of the chambers. Theejector rod 48, itwill be noted, extends forwardly beyond the crane 36 and this forwardlyextending portion of the rod is movable rearwardly by the user to effecta rearward cartridge ejecting movement of the cartridge extractor. Theejector rod 48 and the cartridge extractor are normally held in theforward positions shown in FIG. 2 by a compression spring 52 which islocated in the bore of the sleeve 46 and which at one end engages anabutment 54 in the cylinder 40 and on its other end engages an ejectorrod collar 56 carried by the ejector rod 48.

The cylinder 40 is normally held in the closed position illustrated inFIGS. l and 2 by means of a cylinder bolt 58 which has arearward portionslidably received in the bore 60 of 'the cartridge extractor and in thebore of a sleeve 62 fitted into the intermediate frame wall 18, and aforward portion slidably received in the bore 64 of the 'ector rod 48.The cylinder bolt 58, as shown in FIG. 2, includes an integral collar 66which is normally held in the rearward position shown by a spring 68. Ameans provided for moving the cylinder bolt 58 forwardly to unlock thecylinder from the frame for outward swinging movement thereof comprisesa cam element 70 that is pivotally connected to the frame for pivotalmovement about a transverse axis between active and inactive positions.On its periphery, the cam element 70 has two closely spaced faces 72, 72and two widely spaced faces 74, 74. In its inactive position, the camelement '70 is positioned as shown in FIG. 2 so that one of the closelyspaced faces 72 faces the hammer 76 while the other face 72 enegages `acylinder bolt release member 78 which has its forward part'positioned inthe sleeve 62 and in engagement with the rear end of the cylinder boltS8, the cylinder bolt 58 under the action of its bias urging thecylinder bolt release member 78 rearwardly and into engagement with thecam element 70. As shown in FIG. 2, the hammer 76 is engageable with thefiring pin 80 when the cam element 70 is in the inactive position shown.The cam element 70 is moved to an active position by rotating itapproximately 90 about its transverse axis from the position shown inFIG. 2. This brings one of the widely spaced faces 74 into opposingrelation with the hammer 76 and causes the other face 74 to hold thecylinder bolt release member 78 in a forward position at which thecylinder bolt 58 is held out of the sleevey 62 so that the cylinder isfreed for lateral swinging movement. The spacing of the faces 74, 74 issuch that the face which opposes the hammer 76 is engageable with thelatter to hold it slightly rearwardly from its neutral position and tothereby prevent or block it from engaging the firing pin 80. The camelement 70 therefore in addition to serving as a part of the releasingmechanism for the cylinder lalso serves as a safety device for thefirearm. Movement of the cam element 70 from its active to its inactiveposition, is produced by manual operation of a lever 82 located on theoutside surface of the firearm as shown in FIG. 1, the latter beingconnected with the cam element 70 which extends through the side wall 22of the mechanism cavity 12. With the lever 82 in the position marked Fas shown in FIG. l, the cam element 70 is disposed in its inactiveposition so as to permit the hammer to engage the firing pin to causering of a cartridge, while with the lever in the position marked S inFIG. 1, as shown by the broken lines, the cam 70 is in its active orsafety position at which position the hammer is vblocked against firingengagement with the pin and at which the cylinder bolt is released fromthe frame to permit lateral outward movement of the cylinder. At boththe S and F positions of the lever 82 the frame 10 is provided with anindent, such as shown at 84 in FIG. 1, which cooperates with the leverto releasably hold it in the position to which it is moved.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will also be noted that the flange 44 located onthe side of the frame from which the cylinder 40 swings is provided witha cam surface 86 which engages the rear end of the cylinder bolt 58 andcams the samefforwardly as the cylinder is swung from its open positionback to its normal closed position. When the cylinder is in its openposition, it is held in place on the sleeve 46 by a blocking element 88which is connected with the frame and has a forwardly facing surfacethat abuts the rear face of the cylinder to restrain its rearwardmovement.

The cylinder 40 is releasably held in a fixed angular position withrespect to the frame by a cylinder stop having a head 92 which isengageable'with any one of several cylinder notches 94, 94 which areformed in rthe outer surface of the cylinder and arranged in an annularseries. The number of notches 94, 94 corresponds to the number ofcartridge chambers '42, 4-2 and the notches are so located that when thecylinder stop 92 is in locking engagement with a notch 94, acorresponding cartridge chamber 42 will be in proper operativerelationship with the tiring pin 80 which is located in the intermediatewall 18.

The barrel 96Vof the firearm is located in front of the cylinder 40 andhas a threaded rear portion 98L which is received in a correspondingthreaded opening in the frame 10. The barrel, of course, is so locatedwith respect to the frame and the cylinder 40 that the longitudinal axisof its bore is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the upper oractive chamber 42 which is held in firing position by the cylinderstophead 92. The forward end of the barrel 96 is provided with a radiallyoutwardly extending ange 100. A shroud 102 surrounds the barrel 96 andextends substantially the entire length of the barrel from the forwardend face of the frame to the barrel which bore conforms closely to theoutside surface of the barrel, but with a suciently loose fit existingbetween the barrel and the shroud as to permit the barrel to slidelongitudinally and angularly of the shroud during assembly ordisassembly of the firearm. The vshroud 102 is held longitudinally inplace on the barrel by means of engagement with the forward face of theframe 10 at its rear end and by means of engagement with the barrel angeat its other end. Angular displacement of the shroud with respect to theframe is prevented by means of a locking pin 106 which extends betweenthe frame and the shroud and which is preferably located below thebarrel as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the partial section illustratingthe locking pin 106 is taken on a plane located in front of or closer tothe viewer than the plane on which the remainder of the view is taken.The upper front portion 'of the shroud 102 is Vprovided with a frontsight 108 which is preferably formed integral with the shroud, and

a rear sight 110 is attached to the rear portion of the frame as shownin FIGS. 1 and 2.

As best shown in FIGS. l and 2, the shroud 102 also includes alongitudinally extending recess 112 formed in one side thereof forreceiving the ejector rod 48 when the crane 36 and the cylinder 40 arein their normal closed or firing positions with respect to the frame.Adjacent the forward end of the recess the shroud isprovided with a bore114, FIG. 2, which receives a spring 116 and a ball 11S, the springurging the ball rearwardly as shown and the ball being retained in thebore by the shroud being staked adjacent the mouth of the bore. The ball118 extends partially from the bore 114 and normally engages the forwardend of the ejector rod 48, the mouth of the bore 64 of the ejector rodforming a detent for receiving the ball. The spring loaded ball 11.55therefore serves as a support for the forward end of the ejector rodwhen the cylinder is in closed or firing position.

The ring mechanism of the firearm is located in the mechanism cavity 12and is described in detail in my above-referred to patent to whichreference is made for a more detailed description thereof. For thepresent, it is sufficient to note that in addition to the hammer 76 themechanism includes a trigger 120 which is supported for pivotal movementrelative to the frame 1li by a pivot pin 122. The trigger 120 is movablein a conventional manner between forward and rearward positions relativeto the frame and connected with the hammer is a means, indicatedgenerally at 124 for controlling the movement of the hammer in responseto the movement of the trigger. The trigger is biased in thecounterclocltwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, so that the lowerportion thereof is normally held in the forward position illustrated.This bias for the trigger is provided by a connecting pin 126 which ispivotally connected to the upper portion of the trigger 120 and whichextends forwardly into a bore 12S formed in the pivotal portion 33 ofthe crane 36, there being provided in the bore 128 a helical compressionspring 130 and a spring guide 132 which serve to engage the forward endof the connecting pin 126 and to urge it rearwardly. The spring guide132 is slidably received in the bore 128 and extends forwardly throughthe center of the spring 130 to prevent the spring from buckling orbending in the transverse direction. The rear end of the spring guide132 is provided with an enlarged head having a forward face which abutsthe spring 130 and a rear face which abuts the connector pin 125, thelatter face preferably being provided with a depression for receivingthe forward end of the connector, as illustrated. The spring 130 and theconnector pin therefore function to normally hold the lower poltion ofthe trigger in the illustrated forward position and to oppose itsmovement to the rear.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FGS. 3 and 4. Thisembodiment is similar to the firearm shown in FIGS. l and 2, except thatthe forward portion thereof, which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, ismodified to include a provision for adjusting the weight of the reman,as is often times desirable when using the firearm for target shootingpurposes. As brought out in more detail in my above referred to patent,the construction of the firearm is such as to allow theinterchangeability of barrels and cylinders to adapt the firearm for usewith various caliber cartridges. Since the different barrels which areselectively used in the firearm are of differing weight, it is alsodesirable to be able to compensate for the changes of weight in thefirearm brought about by the changes in the barrel and cylinder.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shroud 102 is provided with a longitudinallyextending slot 134 in its forward portion, the slot extending for somedistance rearwardly from the front face of the shroud. In transversecross section, the slot 134 has a shape, such as the dove-tail shapeshown in FIG. 4, which has a laterally wide portion located inwardlyfrom another laterally narrow portion so that the slot serves as aguideway which will restrain a member having a similar shaped crosssection against any movement other than a longitudinal sliding movementrelative to the slot when the member is positioned therein. Adjacent therear end of the slot there is provided a spring 136 and a ball 138located in a bore 140, the ball being retained in place in the bore 140by the forward end of the bore which is staked inwardly to engage theball, the spring 136 urging the ball forwardly into engagement with thestaked portion so that a part of the ball extends forwardly beyond thelbore 140. The slot 134 serves to receive the head portion 142 of one ofa plurality of weights such as indicated at 144, 146 and 148. The headportion 142 of each weight has a cross section corresponding to that ofthe slot 134 so that the weight is Slidably receivable by the slot andis restrained by the same to longitudinal movement relative thereto, thelength of the weights being such that one end face thereof engages thespring loaded ball 138 while the other end face engages the radiallyoutwardly extending flange on the forward end portion of the barrel 96.Preferably, as shown, the flange 169 is of hexagonal shape, or othershape having flats, to permit the application of a wrench for tighteningor loosening the barrel when assembling or disassembling the same withrespect to the frame, and it is so arranged that when the barrel isfully tightened a corner portion of the hexagon is positioned downwardlyto block the forward end of the slot 134, as shown in FIG. 4, the fiangebeing of such size that when turned slightly from the position shown inFIG. 4 to align one of the flats of the liange with the upper surface ofthe slot 134, the forward end of the slot will be unblocked to permitthe removal and replacement of weights thereto. In FIG. 3 the weight 144is shown by the solid lines, while the sizes of two other weights 146and 14%; are shown by the broken lines, but it will be understood thatany number of weights could be provided and that their sizes and shapescould differ from those shown.

As mentioned, one Weight at a time is selectively positioned within theslot 134 so as to adjust the weight of the firearm, and when it becomesnecessary to replace a particular weight with one of a different mass,the interchange is conveniently performed by turning the barrel 96 untila wrench flat on the barrel fiange 100 is parallel with the dove-tailslot fiat, sliding the weight out of the slot 134, positioning adifferent weight in the slot 134 and thereafter repositioning the barrel96 as before. The spring loaded ball 13S serves to urge the weightforwardly into tight engagement with the barrel flange 100 to preventany rattling or looseness between the weight and the shroud. Gf course,the firearm may also be operated without a weight attached to the slot134.

Also, it should be noted that the bore of the barrel 96 is preferablyriiled, as indicated at 154 in FIG. 4, in accordance with conventionalpractice. However, since the barrel is threadably connected to thefirearm frame by the external threads 9S on the rear end of the barrel,the direction or hand of the rifiing relative to the direction or handof the threads 98 has been found to be important. More particularly, ithas been found that the riiing is preferably of a hand opposite to thehand or" the threads 98. That is, if the threads 98 are righthandthreads, the rifiing should be left handed. As a result of thisdifference in the hands of the rifling and of the threads, as a bulletpasses through the bore of the barrel, the torque imposed on the barrelwill tend to tighten the threaded connection between the barrel and theframe, which is a desirable condition. If the rifiing and the threadsare both of the same hand, the torque exerted on the barrel by a bulletwill tend to loosen the barrel and may, after repeated firings, causethe barrel to actually become loose.

It should, of course, be understood that as used herein, and in theclaims which follow, the term opposite hand refers to the hands ortwists of the rifling and threads as viewed from the same end of thefirearm. This should not be confused by the fact that when speaking ofthe threading or riiiing separately the hands of the threads and riflingare often taken as viewed from different ends of the barrel. That is,the hand of the threads is often determined with reference to a personlooking toward the front end of the barrel, and a righthanded thread istherefore one where the barrel is screwed in place by turning it to theright as viewed from the front. The hand of the rifiing, however, isoften taken with reference to a person looking toward the rear end ofthe barrel, as when shooting, and a right-handed rifling is thereforeone which twists to the right when so viewed. If this latterinterpretation is put on the hands of the threads and rifiing thisinvention then could be said to involve rifling and threads of the samehand. Regardless of which terminology is used, however, the importantconsideration is that the arrangement is such that the passage of abullet through the barrel during the firing of a cartridge imposes atorque on the barrel tending to tighten its threaded connection with theframe.

The 4invention claimed is:

1. The combination in a firearm of: a fra-me, a barrel connecteddirectly with the forward portion of said frame and extending forwardlytherefrom, a shroud separate from and surrounding `said barrel, meansfor preventing relative angular displacement of said shroud with respectto said frame and for accurately locating said shroud angularly relativeto said frame, and means for restraining said shroud againstdisplacement longitudinally of said barrel and frame, said shroudincluding a front sight formed integral therewith.

2. The combination in a rearm of: a frame, a barrel connected with theforward portion of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, saidbarrel including means thereon providing a generally radially extendingand rearwardly facing surface, a shroud surrounding said barrel andhaving -a bore which receives said barrel, said shroud bore being ofsuch size and shape as to conform closely to the outside surface of saidbarrel while permitting said barrel to slide longitudinally andangularly with respect thereto during assembly and disassembly of saidshroud :and barrel, said shroud extending substantially the entirelength of said barrel and having a generally radially extending andforwardly facing surface engaging said rearwardly facing surface of saidbarrel, said shroud bein-g held in place on said barrel by engagementwith said frame at its rear end and by engagement with said generallyradial barrel surface at a point spaced forwardly of its rear end, andlocking means between said frame and said shroud serving to preventangular displacement of said shroud with respect to said frame.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 further characterized by saidshroud including a front sight formed integral therewith.

4. The combination as defined in claim 2 further characterized by acrane pivoted to said frame, and movable longitudinally thereof whensaid shroud is removed from said frame, and said shroud having a portionwhich when said shroud is assembled with said frame preventslongitudinal displacement of said crane relative to `said frame.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4 further characterized by acylinder and an ejector rod connected with said crane which ejector rodextends forwardly from said crane and is provided with a detent in itsforward end, means defining `a longitudinal recess in said shroud forreceiving said ejector rod, and a spring-loaded bal-l carried lby saidshroud adjacent the forward end of said recess which `ball is biasedtoward said detent in the forward end of said ejector rod so as toreleasably engage said ejector rod and provide a pivoted support for theforward end thereof.

6. The combination defined in claim 2 further characterized by saidbarrel being threadably connected with said frame and as part of saidthreadable |connection including external threads adjacent the rear endthereof, said barrel further including a rified bore, the rifling ofsaid bore being of opposite hand to the hand of said external threads sothat as a bullet passes through said bore the torque imposed on saidbarrel by said bullet tends to tighten said threaded connection and tothereby draw said generally radial barrel surface into tighterengagement with said `generally radial shroud surface.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 further characterized by saidmeans providing a generally radially extending rearwardly facing surfaceon said barrel comprising a radially outwardly extending flange on theforward end portion of said barrel, and said generally radiallyextending forwardly facing surface of said shroud being located at theforward end of said shroud.

8. The combination in a firearm of: a frame, a barrel connected with theforward portion of said frame adjacent its rear end and extendingforwardly therefrom, a shroud surrounding said barrel, means forpreventing relative angular displacement of said shroud with respect tosaid frame and barrel, and means providing a forwardly facing surface onsaid frame and a rearwardly facing surface on said barrel between whichrearwardly `and forwardly facing surfaces said shroud is clamped torestrain it against displacement longitudinally of said barrel andframe.

9. The combination defined in claim 8 further characterized `by saidbarrel being threadably connected with said frame.

l0. The combination in a pistol type of firearm of: a frame, a barrelconnected directly to said frame adjacent the rear end of said Ibarreland extending forwardly therefrom, a shroud surrounding said barrel andextending along a major portion of the length thereof, and means forrestraining said shroud a-gainst displacement longitudinally of saidbarrel and frame, said shroud having an opening extending therethroughfor receiving said barrel which opening is of such a size and shape asto conform closely to the -outside surface of said barrel and to engage`substantially the entire area of said outer surface to provide a rigidsupport for said barrel.

lll. The combination in a firearm of: a frame, a barrel connected withthe forward portion of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, ashroud surrounding said barrel, means for preventing relative angulardisplacement of said shroud with respect to said frame, means forrestraining -said .shroud against displacement longitudinally of saidbarrel and frame, a crane supported for pivotal movement relative tosaid frame between open and closed positions about an axis generallyparallel to the axis of said barrel, a cylinder 'and an ejector rodconnected with said crane for movement therewith and which ejector rodextends forwardly from said crane, and means providing a laterally openlon-gitudinal recess in said shroud for receiving said ejector rod whensaid crane is in its closed position, said ejector rod being movedlaterally out of said longitudinal recess when said crane is moved fromits closed to its open position.

12. The combination as defined in claim 11 further characterized by saidejector rod having a detent in its forward end, `and a spring-loadedball carried by said shroud adjacent the forward end of said recess,said ball being biased toward said detent in the forward end of saidejector rod so as to releasably engage said ejector rod and provide apivotal support for the forward end thereof.

13. The combination in a firearm of: a frame, a barrel connected withthe forward portion of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, anda shroud surrounding said barrel, said barrel having a radiallyextending and rearwardly facing surface thereon which is enrgageablewith said shroud to hold said shroud longitudinally in 3,303,594 9 1Qplace between `said frame and said radial barrel surface, ReferencesCited by the Examiner said `barrel being threadably connected with saidframe by external threads on the rear end of said barrel, said UNITEDSTATES PATENTS barrel further including a ried bore the filling of Which743,784 11/1903 WCSSOD 42-62 is of opposite hand to the hand of saidexternal threads 5 1,297,240 3/1919 Pritchett 89-197 so that as a bulletpasses through said bore the torque 2,150,914 3/1939 Gaidos 42-59imposed on said barrel by said bullet tends to tighten Said 2,976,6383/1961 Owens 42--77 threaded connection and to thereby draw said radialbarrel surface into tighter engagement with said shroud, BENJAMIN A.BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

1. THE COMBINATION IN A FIREARM OF: A FRAME, A BARREL CONNECTED DIRECTLYWITH THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING FORWARDLYTHEREFROM, A SHROUD SEPARATE FROM AND SURROUNDING SAID BARREL, MEANS FORPREVENTING RELATIVE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT OF SAID SHROUD WITH RESPECT TOSAID FRAME AND FOR ACCURATELY LOCATING SAID SHROUD ANGULARLY RELATIVE TOSAID FRAME, AND MEANS FOR RESTRAINING SAID SHROUD AGAINST DISPLACEMENTLONGITUDINALLY OF SAID BARREL AND FRAME, SAID SHROUD INCLUDING A FRONTSIGHT FORMED INTEGRAL THEREWITH.